thought balloon
Unicode: 1F4AD
Description
A cartoon thought bubble containing three ellipses (...), indicating thinking, contemplation, or speechlessness.
Group:
Smileys & Emotion > emotion
Status:
fully-qualified
Emotion:
Represents thinking, pondering, uncertainty, hesitation, speechlessness, or an unspoken thought.
Backstory
The thought balloon with ellipses is a common convention in comic strips and cartoons to visually represent unspoken thoughts or internal dialogue. Its digital form was introduced in Unicode 6.0 in 2010, bringing this well-understood visual cue into digital communication.
Usage Examples
- Indicating contemplation: 'Hmm, what should I do next... 🤔ðŸ’'
- Showing speechlessness: 'I can't believe he said that! ðŸ’'
- Expressing uncertainty: 'Maybe later? ðŸ’'
- Implying an unstated thought: 'You wouldn't believe what happened... ðŸ’'
Cultural Differences
Western culture:
Often used to convey a moment of private thought, something left unsaid, or a slight pause.
East Asian culture:
Similar usage, frequently appearing in manga and anime to denote internal monologue or a character being flabbergasted or lost for words.